Michigan snowstorm update: Southwest Michigan will be hardest hit, but all areas will get some snow

The far western part of the Lower Peninsula will be hardest hit with lake effect snowfall. The heaviest area could see between 12 and 16 inches by Friday evening.National Weather Service Grand Rapids

The lake effect snow machine is in high gear now, and it will continue to chug along at least through Friday evening.

The heaviest snowfall will occur in the southwest corners and northwest corners of the Lower Peninsula, and much of the eastern Upper Peninsula. All of these areas will have over six inches of new snow, and some spots over a foot of snow.

With the strong winds, and the current wind direction, lake effect snow squalls are also making it all the way into the southeast part of the state.

You can see the lake effect bands are running right along I-96 from Grand Rapids to Lansing to Brighton. On either side of this concentrated band of lake effect are spurts of snow. So roads will be slick and snowy in southeast Michigan for the evening commute.

You'll see me use the word "snow squall." What is a squall. It's a period of snow that comes down really hard and then lets up and stops. A few minutes later the squall can move back in, and it's snowing hard once again.

In southeast Michigan you can expect road conditions to vary greatly. Under the areas of persistent snow squalls, expect another two to four inches over the next 24 hours. In other areas you may get only a dusting to one inch.

So if you are driving south along I-75 or U.S. 23, expect to drive through the heavier bands of snow. Expect road conditions to change quickly.